The invention relates to an actuator assembly for an airbag module in a vehicle safety system. Furthermore, the invention relates to an airbag module and a vehicle safety system comprising such actuator assembly as well as a manufacturing method. An actuator assembly according to the preamble of claim 1 is known, for example, from EP 1 683 690 A1.
The actuator assembly known from EP 1 683 690 A1 (especially FIG. 17) comprises an actuator in the form of an explosive stud fastened at a housing of an inflator. A loop formed by a cord is laid around the actuator and is part of a retaining means adapted to be actively released upon a signal. Those retaining means or so called tethers are required to control vent holes of an inflatable airbag.
In practice, tethers are frequently tensioned transversely or obliquely across an airbag. The tether therefore does not basically act perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the actuator. This may entail the drawback that the tether can easily be displaced inadvertently along the longitudinal axis of the actuator or can slip off the actuator, before the ignition unit of the actuator has being triggered as specified.
In order to prevent the loop from slipping along the actuator and in this way the release of the loop from being obstructed when the actuator is activated, EP 1 683 690 A1 teaches to provide a clamping means for the cord or the loop. The clamping means is configured in the form of an ignition tablet plug independent of the actuator assembly. When the actuator assembly is mounted, the clamping means is plugged in the vicinity of the loop into the inflator, after the loop has been laid around the actuator, so that the clamping means is in form closure with the actuator, thereby the loop being virtually clamped.